Lindsey Susan Aloia

Emotions Associated with Verbal Aggression Expression and Suppression

Previous research has demonstrated the negative consequences of receiving verbally aggressive messages; however, the consequences of verbal aggression for message senders are less clear. This study examined the emotional experience of expressing and suppressing verbal aggression within interpersonal encounters. Exposure to family verbal aggression in childhood also was examined as an individual difference relevant to the emotional experience of verbal aggression in adulthood. One hundred and nine college-aged students provided open-ended accounts of provocative situations in which they expressed or suppressed verbal aggression. The results and discussion illuminate and contrast peoples emotional experience of expressing and suppressing verbal aggression.

The Physiology of Argumentative Skill Deficiency: Cognitive Ability, Emotional Competence, Communication Qualities, and Responses to Conflict

This study drew upon the argumentative skill deficiency model to advance hypotheses linking cognitive ability and emotional competence to the prominence of loudness, criticism, disagreement, and sarcasm in conflict interactions between dating partners. Hypotheses also predicted that these communication qualities amplify physiological stress responses to conflict interactions, as indexed by measures of salivary cortisol. One hundred college-aged students (50 romantic couples) participated in a dyadic interaction in which they discussed a source of conflict in their relationship. Structural equation analyses evaluated an actor–partner interdependence model in which personal qualities predicted communication qualities that, in turn, predicted amplitude of cortisol change. Results indicated partial support for our hypotheses.

Motivations for Complaint Avoidance: The Role of Motivational Systems and Conflict Expectations

This article examined complaint avoidance as a function of both the strength of people’s motivational systems and people’s expectations of conflict interactions. We suggested outcome expectancies and efficacy assessments mediate the associations between aversive and appetitive motivational systems, and complaint avoidance. Three hundred and sixty-six students completed measures assessing motivational systems (BIS/FFFS/BAS, RTS/RIS), outcome expectancies, efficacy assessments, and complaint avoidance behaviors. Our study provided partial support for our hypotheses that motivational systems influence complaint avoidance, and these associations are influenced by both outcome expectancies and efficacy assessments.

Sex Differences in the Perceived Appropriateness of Receiving Verbal Aggression

This study predicted that (a) male recipients evaluate aggressive messages as more appropriate than female recipients, and (b) the magnitude of this difference varies as a function of contextual parameters. A total of 249 college-aged students responded to hypothetical scenarios to evaluate the influence of sex of the message recipient, sex of the message source, relationship type, and privacy level of the communication setting on recipients’ evaluations of appropriateness of aggressive communication. Results indicated that male recipients evaluate aggressive messages as more appropriate than female recipients, and this main effect was moderated by sex of the message source, relationship type, and privacy level. The discussion highlights the subjective experience of aggression for male and female recipients.

Attachment, Mental Health, and Verbal Aggressiveness in Personal Relationships

This study examined the association between verbal aggressiveness and individual differences in attachment orientations and mental health, defined as a state of emotional well-being. One hundred and thirty-two college-aged students completed measures assessing their attachment orientations, mental health, and verbal aggressiveness. Results indicated that security in attachment was negatively associated with verbal aggressiveness, and preoccupation with relationships was positively associated with verbal aggressiveness. In addition, mental health was negatively associated with verbal aggressiveness. Results indicated support for a statistical model in which mental health mediated the association between attachment orientations and verbal aggressiveness.

The Emotional, Behavioral, and Cognitive Experience of Boundary Turbulence

Key to understanding the process of privacy management is examining how boundary turbulence is individually experienced. Building on the principles of communication privacy management, I considered how the amount of dissemination beyond the dyadic boundary corresponds to the automatic emotional reactions, behavioral responses, and higher-order cognitions reported in response to boundary turbulence. Two hundred sixteen college-aged students described recent privacy breaches and reported their individual emotional, behavioral, and cognitive responses to the betrayal of confidence. Results revealed that the amount of dissemination of private information was positively associated with anger, fear, and sadness. Furthermore, anger incited the use of distributive tactics, and this association was stronger for individuals who ruminated. Congruently, sadness prompted withdrawal behaviors, and this relationship increased as cognitive avoidance increased.

Psychological Well-Being as a Function of Affectionate Communication and Emotional Intelligence

This study examined indicators of psychological well-being as a function of affectionate communication and emotional intelligence. Two hundred and seventeen college-aged students completed measures of expressed and received affection; mental health, happiness, self-esteem, depression, and stress; and emotional intelligence. Results indicated that expressed affection is negatively associated with stress; received affection is positively associated with mental health and self-esteem and negatively associated with depression and stress. Furthermore, results provided support for models in which emotional intelligence impacts psychological well-being after accounting for the variance explained by expressed and received affection.

History of Targeted Family Verbal Aggression and Informational Reception Apprehension as Predictors of Anger-Coping Behaviors

This study examined anger-coping behaviors as a function of both history of targeted family verbal aggression in childhood and informational reception apprehension. Specifically, this article investigates the degree to which childhood experiences of direct verbal attacks from family members impact anger-coping responses and the moderating influence of informational reception apprehension. To examine this, 159 college-aged students completed measures assessing their history of targeted family verbal aggression, informational reception apprehension, and anger-coping behaviors. History of targeted family verbal aggression was associated with anger-in, anger-out, and anger-control, and these associations were moderated by listening anxiety and intellectual inflexibility.